"Are you shocked?" Eli scrutinizes my face. "Say something."
"Um…" We just landed on the roof of some house. I admit that my heart is still beating fast. No, it's not because of him. That's a lie. It's because of him. We literally fell from the sky and somehow, we are still alive, kicking, and standing on the roof. He wrinkles his brows, worried and anxious. Am I made up of clay? Why is he always scared? He wasn't scared when he was falling through the air. "I am fine."
It's not like anything can happen to me in his presence.
"How rude!" The Devil cat snarls at him. "Nobody asks me how I am doing."
"You seem fine to me," Eli replies with a straight face. "I heard that cats have good reflexes."
"Hmph!" The Devil cat cocks his head. "What is this? This place is so crowded. Where did you bring us?"
It's strange. We are alone on the roof. Then, what can he see? Eli pulls me behind him, shielding me from something. The Devil cat jumps into my arms and sighs. "We landed right in the trap."
And everything around us begins to change. The buildings are withering away. The sky is tearing apart and being replaced by a colourful high glass ceiling. The walls are covered with a gruesome painting that depicts the different punishments of sinners in hell. We find ourselves standing in a hall, surrounded by men in blue-grey uniforms with shotguns.
"Make way if you want to live." His voice is chilling. I feel the temperature of the room drop. I look at his back. He's angry again. Are we in trouble? Who are these people? Though they are trying hard to hide their emotions, their eyes betray their thoughts. They are afraid. Most of them want to leave this place. Others want to follow Eli's commanding words. A few are watching him with awe. Then, some of them are looking at me with pity.
"I let you loose for a while." A deep and cold voice pierces through the air. "And you try to get married to a human?"
The soldiers bend down their heads and move away. The man has a tall and well-built body with broad shoulder, but he's shorter than Eli. He's eyes are bright pink, just like Belinda's eyes. He is ghostly pale with a yellow tint. His dark wavy hair is reaching his shoulders.
Dressed in an elegant black coat, white satin shirt with ruffles and dark blue buttons, black trousers, and high black boots with golden chains, the man is exuding regality. He can't be older thirty-five. If I saw him in my world, I would have thought that he was a model who was cosplaying some ancient victorian anime character.
"Father." Eli glares at him. "Must you interfere with my life now?"
Father? I stare at Eli. Why is his father so young? Elder brother is fine, but father? The man takes a glance at me. I hide behind Eli instinctively. This is too sudden. I am not prepared to meet my father-in-law who is also a duke.
"I can understand if you tricked her to marry you because you craved her flesh." Eli's father says to him with a stern voice, "Why did you apply for marriage at the council? You already have a fiancee. How could you do play such a joke?"
"Father, if you thought that it was a joke, you wouldn't have laid a trap to lead me here." Eli sniggers at him. "Did you link all the routes to your home? I wonder why the king allowed you to do so. Then, he listens to you well."
I can't figure out half of their words. But where did a fiancee come from? Is it going to be the usual drama? A duke father who already chose a fiancee for his son? I don't want this crap.
"Eli, stop playing around." His father grimaces at him. "A ghoul and a human can never get married. You are my son. You have a fiancee. Come back home. Don't worry about that human. I will deal with the council."
"..." What does he mean by that? Am I going to disappear?
"If you want her that much, you can eat her for dinner." His father sighs. "A family dinner is okay. I will lower my standard for you."
WHAT THE FUCK! This dick wants to cook me for family dinner. I don't mind being eaten by Eli since I owe him a lot, but I refuse to become his family's meal.
"Father, we can resolve this without violence." Eli replies with a cool voice, "If you still insists on taking the hard way, then I have to do what is necessary."
"Eli!" His father growls. A large shadow looms over him. "You insolent boy!"
Eli's shadow is also growing bigger. He is watching his father with coldness in his eyes. This is bad. The soldiers look like they want to be anywhere but here. I feel the same. I grab Eli's arm. "Don't fight."
"Nell." When he looks at me, his gaze become soft. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It will be over in a minute."
That's what I am afraid of. Since I am already here, it can't be helped. I don't know what would happen after I remember everything. However, I want to make him happy before I remember.
I look at Eli's father. "Sir, aren't you making a scene right now? I understand that you have reasons to dislike me, but you shouldn't be having this conversation in front of outsiders. If you have complaints, tell me directly. Don't go on about in a roundabout way."